Purpose: Evaluate the lytic state (LS) expressed by the level of plasmatic fibrinogen (PF) after rt-PA "in bolus" infusion for acute myocardial infarction (MI) and its relation to coronary reperfusion.
Patients and methods: Fifty-one patients (38 men, mean age of 53.0 +/- 9.8 years) with demonstrated occlusion of the infarct related artery (IRA) received an intravenous bolus infusion of 70 mg of rt-PA, PF was assessed before and 90 minutes after the treatment and the levels were compared in patients with (group 1) and without (group 2) reperfusion of the IRA.
Results: Basal levels of PF were within the normal range in all patients. There was a decrement of 35.1% in the PF dosed at 90 minutes, from 276.8 +/- 55.5 mg/dl to 168.0 +/- 68.2 mg/dl. Both groups were similar in the levels of PF 90 after treatment (145.1 +/- 95.7 mg/dl in group 1 versus 187.0 +/- 53.7 mg/dl in group 2).
Conclusion: "In bolus" rt-PA treatment for MI significantly reduces the PF, but the LS obtained was similar in patients with or without reperfusion of the IRA.